Horry spurs run in Spurs' 85-77 win over slumping Wizards

JOSEPH WHITE

Published 6:00 pm, Tuesday, February 5, 2008

AP Sports Writer

Robert Horry still has some gas in the tank. Maybe not a whole lot, but certainly enough to lead a game-changing run.

The 37-year-old forward scored all of his season-high nine points in a four-minute span Wednesday night and ignited the spurt that put the San Antonio Spurs ahead for good in an 85-77 win over the slumping Washington Wizards.

"I'm just happy to make a shot. I haven't knocked down a shot in ages," said Horry, who had scored only 41 points all season entering Wednesday's game. "The last two games, I haven't knocked one down, so I'm just happy to get some kind of rhythm going."

Horry helped get San Antonio in gear after a lackluster 2 1/2 quarters, then his teammates closed the deal by holding the lead in the fourth. Tim Duncan finished with 23 points and nine rebounds, and Fabricio Oberto had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who are 3-2 on their nine-game rodeo road trip and improved to .500 (11-11) on the road this season.

"We decided that we were going to play him on this road trip _ get him in shape for the playoffs," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Horry. "This is a back-to-back for him, and we usually don't play him in back-to-backs."

Horry had two free throws, a layup and a 3-pointer in the run that turned a 58-53 deficit late in the third quarter deficit into a 70-62 lead early in the fourth.

"I don't mind sitting because on this team, you've got so many players on this team that are capable of playing," Horry said. "Six, seven years ago, I'd be raising Cain about not playing, but now, we're letting guys get some experience."

Antawn Jamison scored 18 points, and Andray Blatche had 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds for the Wizards, who have lost five straight. Washington again played without All-Star forward Caron Butler, who sat out for the fourth time in six games because of a strained left hip flexor.

"We went toe-to-toe with the world champions," coach Eddie Jordan said. "We didn't get the win, but maybe I can sleep with this loss, as opposed to last night's loss _ I couldn't sleep a wink."

Butler aggravated the injury in a loss to struggling Philadelphia on Tuesday night and is day-to-day as the Wizards prepare for a four-game road trip. Washington is 7-24 when Butler doesn't play since he joined the team in 2005.

Washington has also played most of the season without Gilbert Arenas, and the lack of reliable scorers is starting to show. The Wizards are averaging 86.8 points during their five-game skid, more than 10 points below their season average.

"We don't have those type of creators right now," Jordan said. "We have to allow for our offense to help us, and that's what's been happening for the most part. And when we do have those lulls in the offense, it's tough for us to score."

Neither team led by more than nine in a low-scoring duel between two clubs both playing the back end of two games in two nights. Washington's 77 points were a season low, as well as the low allowed this season by the Spurs.

After the Horry-led run, the Spurs couldn't quite pull away. Jamison missed a 3-pointer that would have cut the lead to one with 2:19 to play, but San Antonio took advantage at the other end when Manu Ginobili found Duncan with a no-look pass. Duncan made the layup, was fouled, and completed the three-point play to push the lead to 80-73 with 1:51 remaining.

"They just execute you to death," Wizards point guard Antonio Daniels said. "When they have a guy down low that they can go to and get a bucket every time _ and they surround him with three or four shooters? It's like, pick your poison."

Notes:@ The Wizards have lost five straight, and 14 of 17 to the Spurs. … Washington's five-game overall losing streak matches its season-high. The Wizards started the season 0-5. … The loss set the Wizards back to .500 (24-24). The last time they were at break-even was at 15-15 on Jan. 2. … Popovich on Tony Parker, who is missing the road trip because of an inflamed left ankle. "I'm hoping he'll be back sometime shortly after the All-Star break. We'll see how he's progressed. That's what I'm hoping for." … Ginobili and Oberto were good sports when their faces were shown on the big screen during the "Kiss Me" timeout, an in-house promotion in which fans are encouraged to get their dates a smooch. Ginobili leaned over and gave his teammate a peck on the side of the head. … Ginobili tied a career high with 10 assists. … Damon Stoudamire scored nine points _ all on 3-pointers _ in his second game with the Spurs.